New studies examine breast morphology

Dear AuntMinnie Member,

The composition of breast tissue -- whether it's dense or fatty, for example -- can have a major impact on efforts to predict a woman's risk of developing cancer, and on detecting tumors when they develop. A pair of articles we're featuring this week in our Women's Imaging Digital Community examines recent efforts to analyze and define breast tissue morphology.

In the first article, staff writer Shalmali Pal investigates two studies that examine changes in breast density over time. In the first study, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston tracked women over a period of eight to 14 years to see how their breast density changed over time.

Another study, by researchers in the U.K., examined how the consumption of isoflavones might impact breast density. Isoflavones are a compound found in soy-based food products, and interest in the substance is rising due to its potential health benefits. However, isoflavones also can act as weak estrogens, and the group wanted to find out if the substance had an impact on breast density, as estrogen does.

Another story we're highlighting, by staff writer Erik L. Ridley, examines how the menstrual cycle can affect breast vascularity -- and in turn the ability to use ultrasound to evaluate breast lesions.

Read both articles in our Women's Imaging Digital Community, at womens.auntminnie.com.